Dedicated 3rd Party Lens Discussion (Examples Updated)

Hey Jubair, Thanks for the lens!
Installing the 3.80mm, was a easy, but focusing the lens at the "Just right" position is problematic. I think Pete typed some good info on this?
Looks like it will be the weekend till i get the time to do it right.
Will report in after i get it focused.

Thanks again

it shouldn't be that hard if you are doing it with live video feed (GoPro connected to your TV or PC monitor). when you start, don't screw the lens too far in, you don't want to hit the sensor, leave the lens sticking out little bit before working your way down while watching live feed on the monitor. it may be challenging to find a subject far away from you (110ft), but if you focus on any subject in your room (one that's furthest away from you) then get focused on that, then you should be almost 95% there. if it's difficult to find a subject further away (through a window looking outside) then you can just go outside and find something 110ft away and take a picture/video of that, turn the lens little bit (0.5mm CW and CCW) to take few more shots and maybe another 2 shots 1mm CW and CWW from the initial position, then check the video/photo from each lens position on your computer to find which one was the best focused.
when you do this, it's good practice to use white marker to make a dot for example at 12 o'clock on the housing of your lens (aligned with another white dot on the camera), that way you can see better when you are fine-tuning CW or CCW by 0.5mm or 1mm. once you found the sweet spot mark it again so that you always know where the lens is supposed to be for the best focused picture. (for example when installing or removing ND filter, it may happen that you accidentally turn the lens if it's not properly secured in the thread and you want to have an easy way to put the lens in your correct position if that ever happens).
 
Hi, I was wondering how loose the lens threads/assembly felt? I like the idea of the ability to adjust the focus on occasion. If youre shooting ALL landscapes and only just passing foreground stuff I would really want to dial in 'infinity'...and then sometimes might have a need to be sharp on something pretty close. If I go the Git2Pro / 3.8mm route, and things go well, maybe I will just get 2 setups (and still be almost $300 less than a peauHero4/3.97).

Git2Pro seems good value for money, but you can''t use it with gimbal, right ?
there is no connector at the back of the camera so you can't push it in the gimbal GoPro mount (possibly even the dimension of the camera is different ?)

but I agree this could be good secondary camera for photography, it has 16MP Sony sensor, even mounting it flat on the belly of Solo (with IMPconcepts mount) and running it in Timelapse mode to take photos every few seconds, in addition to GoPro camera in the gimbal at the same time taking video. Solo can easily fly with both cameras at the same time, and then of course the other advantage is that photos from Git2Pro are RAW.
 
I am still researching it, but since gopro burned me once on a Hero1(underwater housing lens ruined focus without mod), I am hesitant to bite the bullet on 2 year old , overpriced hero4 black--at least now I know I dont have to get robbed further from a certain other "lens company". Still on the fence, but Im thinking theres a very good chance I could make a git2pro work on the Solo gimbal. I am anxiously awaiting delivery of my Solo, so as of now I have alot of unknowns..

Here is what I'm seeing so far re: footprint/hdmi out aligjment ...cheers.thanks for your input
Git2-vs-GoPro.jpg

ps, I like the easily removable git2 faceplate...4 screws
pss, apparently there is an app that can trigger start/stop (maybe other settings) that is controlled via hdmi,,,so possibly have remote access - pretty smart
 
I am still researching it, but since gopro burned me once on a Hero1(underwater housing lens ruined focus without mod), I am hesitant to bite the bullet on 2 year old , overpriced hero4 black--at least now I know I dont have to get robbed further from a certain other "lens company". Still on the fence, but Im thinking theres a very good chance I could make a git2pro work on the Solo gimbal. I am anxiously awaiting delivery of my Solo, so as of now I have alot of unknowns..

Here is what I'm seeing so far re: footprint/hdmi out aligjment ...cheers.thanks for your input
Git2-vs-GoPro.jpg

ps, I like the easily removable git2 faceplate...4 screws
pss, apparently there is an app that can trigger start/stop (maybe other settings) that is controlled via hdmi,,,so possibly have remote access - pretty smart

the HDMI connector is not an issue, that's in same position, the problem is the connector on the back of the GoPro :
DSC05160.JPG

it plugs in the corresponding male connector on the gimbal mount :
3drgb11a.jpg

Git2 has no such connector at the back of the camera it seems, so you can't actually insert it in the gimbal

edit: that's apart from the fact that you wouldn't be able to control the Git2 camera in flight, you would need to start recording before take off, i suppose that's not a big issue, but the problem is it won't insert in the gimbal
 
macgyver rig...must..defeat...gopro....

Its a shame, so close , I'm sure if push came to shove, could make it work. But most likely will end up with a gp4black for $425 and a gitup 3.8 lens for $40,,,just to have the ability to control ISO etc remotely.

With the gp5 coming soon and the Karma, I wish 3dr would be more 'open-source' on their camera loyalty...its almost like they are partners,,.but they arent
 
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macgyver rig...must..defeat...gopro....

it may be worth while to monitor eBay for damaged GoPros, time to time there is a good deal when someone is selling second hand GoPro with smashed lens. you can replace the lens with cheap chinese CCTV lens as you would do this mod anyway.
 
edit: that's apart from the fact that you wouldn't be able to control the Git2 camera in flight, you would need to start recording before take off, i suppose that's not a big issue, but the problem is it won't insert in the gimbal

that answer isnt known ,,yet, Apparently, the git2 can be remotely triggered via hdmi connector using their app
 
that answer isnt known ,,yet, Apparently, the git2 can be remotely triggered via hdmi connector using their app

their app would need to be able to communicate with Git2 through the radio link between controller and Solo, I wouldn't be that optimistic to believe that they actually implemented something like that, specifically for Solo.

more likely they have an app to communicate directly with Git2 through Wi-fi, but then the range would be very limited, 20m, 30m ???

don't want to sound too negative, just pointing out certain things to consider, I actually like that camera myself, but for a different application (mounting it flat under accessory bay for vertical photography, 16MP Sony sensor and RAW photos sounds good for that money)
 
Thanks Pete, I totally am with you and appreciate your insights and the discussion. I agree mostly -The thing I'm trying to get across is that from what Ive been reading, apparently you can trigger the git via HDMI connector...again I dont have all the details and not really sure where I read that at this point haha.

If it is true, I realize there are major questions :
1. will solo gimbal/hdmi send the feed to the solo controller/viewfinder (probably)
2. if so, can the git app run during flight and somehow send data commands to the camera via hdmi (doubtful)
 
if you want to be able to shift focus on the fly use a black perm marker and place 3 marks on the lens shroud (plastic outer ring). about to 2-3 mm apart. ideally these marks would represent near, far and infinity. if you place a mark on the lens itself as well (outer lens flange), you will be able to adjust focus w/out using a monitor.
 
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I'm still hoping someone can post some pictures of an A/B compare of the stock vs the 3.8 with the same scene and the camera in the same position.

I'm trying to understand how the GP4B will be useful in non drone use with the 3.8 lens. I'd prefer not to have to swap lenses a lot, or to have more than one camera.

Field of View :
Stock Lens (GP4B) - 3.80mm lens (GP4B) - 5.4mm lens (GP3+B)

160402-GOPR9944.jpg 160402-GOPR9947.jpg 160402-GOPR9952.jpg


and this would be FOV of a video frame in Wide (16:9 crop)
160402-GOPR9944-2.jpg 160402-GOPR9947-2.jpg 160402-GOPR9952-2.jpg
 
I did exactly what @Jubalr says, I pointed the GoPro through opened sliding door at a shed that was 70 half-meter steps (roughly 35m) away from me.
with help from @franknitty69 and @pyrate I calculated that correct hyperfocal distance should be 33.5m (110ft) :
Dedicated 3rd Party Lens Discussion (Examples Updated)

I don't believe it matters much if you are slightly out. When I focused the shed at 35m, then even objects at half that distance were still perfectly in focus.

As far as installation on GP4, there is a video on Youtube from Peau :
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My GP3+ installation was easier, but on GP4 there is some complicated step with some ribbon cable that some users are having troubles with (you can read that from the comments on that video).

I have since then removed my 3.80mm from the GP3+ and put it in GP4 that I got from Peau with the 3.97mm, this was easy because they didn't glue it back in, so I could just simply unscrew it and screw-in the new lens.

Needless to say that currently my best lens + my best camera are hanging on a tree along with Solo below a 40m cliff, I'm going to get it tomorrow I think, it finally stopped raining.
I don't understand why people are still taking the camera apart. I've changed lenses 3 times now on 2 different cameras, there is absolutely no need to remove anything more than the outer ring.
 
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Thanks for doing this. It's interesting in that the 3.8 seems to have less pink than the stock gopro.

that's because I removed the 3.97mm lens from Peau GP4 and replaced it with 3.80mm. after receiving email from them stating there was nothing wrong with my 3.97mm, I just took it out because I couldn't get results anywhere near the 3.80mm lens. even after refocusing the 3.97mm (it was out of focus actually) I still couldn't get sharp image apart from the center, but all corners and sides were still very soft, extending quite far, I would have to do like a medium FOV crop to get rid of it, also the colours on my 3.97 were quite washed out.
I believe I now have the best combo, 3.80mm in GP4 with profile removed.
 
I don't understand why people are still taking the camera apart. I've changed lenses 3 times now on 2 different cameras, there is absolutely no need to remove anything more than the outer ring.

Perhaps because of this video?

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I don't understand why people are still taking the camera apart. I've changed lenses 3 times now on 2 different cameras, there is absolutely no need to remove anything more than the outer ring.
Are you using a hair dryer or something to soften the glue, or ? thnx
 
that's because I removed the 3.97mm lens from Peau GP4 and replaced it with 3.80mm. after receiving email from them stating there was nothing wrong with my 3.97mm, I just took it out because I couldn't get results anywhere near the 3.80mm lens. even after refocusing the 3.97mm (it was out of focus actually) I still couldn't get sharp image apart from the center, but all corners and sides were still very soft, extending quite far, I would have to do like a medium FOV crop to get rid of it, also the colours on my 3.97 were quite washed out.
I believe I now have the best combo, 3.80mm in GP4 with profile removed.
Your 3.8 is from Git? Also apparently Peau is working on remote color profile app of sorts so people dont have to send camera in according to peau owner comment on FB 3dr owners page.
 
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New lens looks great Steve. Do anything special regarding the pink corners?
 

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